This is probably the most frequently asked question that I have gotten over the years. And it makes sense. Business and property owners have a lot of things to worry about and a lot of expenses to keep things running smoothly. The short answer? Most businesses should be budgeting to repaint their parking lots every 2 years. However; there are many factors that affect this timeframe, and for those looking for more information and detail on the factors that go into our recommendations, read on!
With many aspects of business there is a definite - if not easy- answer. When do I have to pay my taxes? When are my lease payments due? How much did I spend on supplies last month? But unfortunately not every question has an answer that's set in stone. So here are some of the major factors that go into our timeline recommendations and why they can have such a considerable effect.
1 - Geography: This is probably the most important factor. Where you live decides the temperature, how much precipitation you get, how much sunshine you get, whether or not your parking lot is salted / sanded / plowed, etc. Here is southern Ontario, we get a little bit of everything! The sun beats down and heats up the asphalt all summer long causing UV damage and expansion, and then the winter hits and we get constant freeze/thaw cycles which expand and contract the pavement. By necessity we have to put down salt and sand to ensure safety, but these materials are mildly corrosive in the case of salt, and very abrasive in the case of sand - they don't call it sandpaper for nothing. On top of that, if you've ever heard a snow plow working away on a road or parking lot, you know its not a gentle process. Since these are all necessary for public safety and to limit liability, they are non-negotiable. But it does mean that we have to repaint our parking lots more often than folks in warmer climates.
2 - The material used: It would be easy to assume that there is just one type of asphalt paint used and everything is more or less on the same playing field, but like any other industry, there are many different options and all of these have pros and cons.
-The cheapest option available is water-borne traffic marking paint. This is essentially paint solids suspended in a water-base. The benefits here are that it is a bit cheaper than other alternatives and comes with a lower VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) count than other options. This makes it safer for DIYer's to use. However; the major drawback here is longevity. Because of the less resilient nature of the paint and the factors listed in the geography section, this paint is by far the least long lived of the options here.
-The next option and the most frequently used throughout Ontario, is solvent based traffic marking paint. It is marginally more expensive to apply, but lasts considerably longer than water based. It has a higher VOC count, which can be a concern for DIYer's as Basic PPE - such as gloves, eye protection and a properly fitted organic vapours respirator - should be used at all times. This - among other reasons - is why we always recommend that parking lot striping be done by a professional. Most of the major roadways and parking lots in Ontario are sprayed with this paint and it is the type that we use in almost every case.
-Field Reacted Polymer Paint: This is an advanced coating that consists of a two part system. Think epoxy. The paint sprayer lays down the polymerizable paint and then a secondary gun mounted behind the first sprays down a curing agent. This makes for a very durable paint that can last longer than other types, 3 - 5 years as opposed to 2 - 3 years, but due to the cost of material, high initial investment and safety and training needed, it results in a much high price tag .
Thermoplastics: This process involves heating a mix of resins, pigments and fillers to a liquid state and then spraying it like paint. This product has many similarities to Field Reacted Polymer Paints as it is more durable but considerably less affordable than standard traffic marking paints. It is frequently used in very high traffic areas such as drive throughs.
3 - Traffic flow: This one is straight forward. If you have more cars and people using your parking lot, the paint will wear more quickly. We have several customers who run smaller businesses that just have employees and delivery trucks coming through and we only need to come back every three years or so, but our high traffic clients like Tim Hortons' and grocery stores are generally painted every year.
4 - Pavement Quality: Finally, the quality of the surface we are working on makes a big difference. We always thoroughly clean the parking lot before striping it, but if the asphalt is very old with deep pocketing and cracking, there is only so much that a coat of paint can do. It is always recommended to refresh the lines when needed to ensure safety and limit liability, but in the case of badly worn asphalt you will have to repaint more often. We often recommend that our clients have us maintain the asphalt with crack sealer, pothole filling and pavement sealer to extend the life and save the huge expense of repaving, for as long as possible, but that will be another post.
These are the main factors that go into the longevity of traffic marking for your parking lot. As you can see many things go into our timeline recommendations and as with all of our products and services, if you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to reach out and one of our team would be happy to go through it with you.
Until next time -
With many aspects of business there is a definite - if not easy- answer. When do I have to pay my taxes? When are my lease payments due? How much did I spend on supplies last month? But unfortunately not every question has an answer that's set in stone. So here are some of the major factors that go into our timeline recommendations and why they can have such a considerable effect.
1 - Geography: This is probably the most important factor. Where you live decides the temperature, how much precipitation you get, how much sunshine you get, whether or not your parking lot is salted / sanded / plowed, etc. Here is southern Ontario, we get a little bit of everything! The sun beats down and heats up the asphalt all summer long causing UV damage and expansion, and then the winter hits and we get constant freeze/thaw cycles which expand and contract the pavement. By necessity we have to put down salt and sand to ensure safety, but these materials are mildly corrosive in the case of salt, and very abrasive in the case of sand - they don't call it sandpaper for nothing. On top of that, if you've ever heard a snow plow working away on a road or parking lot, you know its not a gentle process. Since these are all necessary for public safety and to limit liability, they are non-negotiable. But it does mean that we have to repaint our parking lots more often than folks in warmer climates.
2 - The material used: It would be easy to assume that there is just one type of asphalt paint used and everything is more or less on the same playing field, but like any other industry, there are many different options and all of these have pros and cons.
-The cheapest option available is water-borne traffic marking paint. This is essentially paint solids suspended in a water-base. The benefits here are that it is a bit cheaper than other alternatives and comes with a lower VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) count than other options. This makes it safer for DIYer's to use. However; the major drawback here is longevity. Because of the less resilient nature of the paint and the factors listed in the geography section, this paint is by far the least long lived of the options here.
-The next option and the most frequently used throughout Ontario, is solvent based traffic marking paint. It is marginally more expensive to apply, but lasts considerably longer than water based. It has a higher VOC count, which can be a concern for DIYer's as Basic PPE - such as gloves, eye protection and a properly fitted organic vapours respirator - should be used at all times. This - among other reasons - is why we always recommend that parking lot striping be done by a professional. Most of the major roadways and parking lots in Ontario are sprayed with this paint and it is the type that we use in almost every case.
-Field Reacted Polymer Paint: This is an advanced coating that consists of a two part system. Think epoxy. The paint sprayer lays down the polymerizable paint and then a secondary gun mounted behind the first sprays down a curing agent. This makes for a very durable paint that can last longer than other types, 3 - 5 years as opposed to 2 - 3 years, but due to the cost of material, high initial investment and safety and training needed, it results in a much high price tag .
Thermoplastics: This process involves heating a mix of resins, pigments and fillers to a liquid state and then spraying it like paint. This product has many similarities to Field Reacted Polymer Paints as it is more durable but considerably less affordable than standard traffic marking paints. It is frequently used in very high traffic areas such as drive throughs.
3 - Traffic flow: This one is straight forward. If you have more cars and people using your parking lot, the paint will wear more quickly. We have several customers who run smaller businesses that just have employees and delivery trucks coming through and we only need to come back every three years or so, but our high traffic clients like Tim Hortons' and grocery stores are generally painted every year.
4 - Pavement Quality: Finally, the quality of the surface we are working on makes a big difference. We always thoroughly clean the parking lot before striping it, but if the asphalt is very old with deep pocketing and cracking, there is only so much that a coat of paint can do. It is always recommended to refresh the lines when needed to ensure safety and limit liability, but in the case of badly worn asphalt you will have to repaint more often. We often recommend that our clients have us maintain the asphalt with crack sealer, pothole filling and pavement sealer to extend the life and save the huge expense of repaving, for as long as possible, but that will be another post.
These are the main factors that go into the longevity of traffic marking for your parking lot. As you can see many things go into our timeline recommendations and as with all of our products and services, if you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to reach out and one of our team would be happy to go through it with you.
Until next time -
RSS Feed